Coin operated vending machine



Qd- 3- 1940 G. l.. DUVALL 2,216,811r

COIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE Filed sept. 8, 1957' s sheets-sheet 1 Jar \J 160 144W "A" 169 l7 170 JM 101 INVENTOR.

105- @en eL.u/vall. @Si 93 Bmg/My 103 ATTORNEY.r

0d. 8. 1940. G, L DUVALL G01N OPERATED VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Serpt. 8, 1937 `INVENTOR: Y 6eo11geL.w/all, v @y ATTORNEY.

Oct. 8. 1940. s. DuvALl.

GOIN OPERATED VENDI-NG` MACHINE Filed Sept. 8. 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented oct. 8, A j g UNITED vSTATES PATENT 'f GFFICE 2,216,811 i com oPnA'rEn vmmlNG MACHINE George L. Duvall, Long Beach, Calif. Application September 8, 1937, Serial No. 162,869

s claims. (ci. 194.-13)

This invention `relates to vending machines, Fig. `1'1 is a perspective of the coin-actuated and more particularly to a coin-controlled vendlocking means for locking the measuring valve ing machine for vending a measured quantity of in its discharging position. y Y merchandise such as peanuts and the like. r Referring more particularly to the drawings,

The general object of the invention is to pro- 'inwhich corresponding parts are designated by 5 vide a vending machine of the character stated, the same reference characters in all of the views, which is operated entirely by a coin, when de-4 I designates a casing constructed with a removposited therein, and without the use of any manable top wall 2 which rests at its edges upon' inual-operating means. turned flanges 3 formed on the front, side and Another object is to provide a vending machine rear walls of said casing near` the upper edges l0 of the character stated, which will throw out of said walls, so that the upper surface of said slugs and particularly iron slugs, washers and top Wallis iiush with the upper edges of said slugs lighter than the coin by which the machine front, side and rear walls. The front wall 4 is is designed to be operated. also formed at its upper edge with a pair of in- Other objects and advantages will appear turned flanges 5 under which are projected a 15 hereinafter. pair of downwardly offset'iianges 6 on the front The invention is illustrated in the annexed edge of the top wall 2 when said top wall is placed drawings, which forni a part of this specification, in position in the top of the casing I upon the andin whicht flanges 3. The top wall 2 is also formed with a Fig.` l is a iront elevation of myinvention. pair of depending lugs 1 near its rear edge into 20 Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of my which are threaded screws 8 which extend invention takenon line 2--2 of Fig. 14. t through holes 9 in the rear wall il] of the cas- Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the lower ing I, whereby the top wall 2 with its flanges portion of the machine as the same appears in 6 engaging the casing flanges 5 is secured in po- Fig. 2; sition closing the top of the casing I.` The top 25 Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4--4 wall 2 is provided with an opening II `and is of Fig. 5 showing the coin chute. formed with a circular flange I2 upstanding from Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the right side of the upper sideof sadwall and surrounding said the. lower portion of the machine as shown in opening. On said top 'wall 2 is mounted a globu- Fig. 3. lar glass magazine I3, which is provided in its 30 Fig. 6 isa top plan view of Fig. 3. `upperside with an inlet I4 and in its lower side Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken an outlet I5, 'which outlet leads downwardly on line 'i-1 oi Fig. 6. through an annular throat I6 depending from Fig. 8 is a vertical `section taken online 8--8 said lower side of said magazine and resting at of Fig. 6. l its lower end upon the upper side of said top wall 35 l Fig. 9 is across section of the coin chutetaken 2v, with the lower end of said throat tted Within on line 9-9 ofFig. 6 with the coin chute in northe annular flange I2 on said top wall. The' malvposition or when a light coin is deposited `magazine inlet I4 is surrounded by an annular therein. flange II upstanding from the upper side of the 401. Fig. `10 is a plan view of the coin chute in balmagazine, which annular ange ts over a ring 40 anced position with a coin of the right denomi- I8 formed with a cross bar I9 connected at its nation therein. ends* to opposite sides of said ring, at the lower Fig. l1 is a cross section o! the coinchute edge thereof,` through which cross bar, near its taken on line II-II of Fig. 10. ends respectively, extend the upper ends of a pair Fig. 12 is a horizontalsection ofI the slug trap of vertical rods 2li, which extend through the 45 takenon line I2a-I2 of Fig. 4. magazine, its outlet I5 and through the top wall Fig. 13 is a plan view of -the casing with the 2,- and the lower ends 2l of said rods'are bent top wall `thereof -and parts mounted on said wall against the underside of said top wall. On the removed. upper ends of the rods 20 are threaded nuts 22 V Fig. 14 is a vertical longitudinal section of the which engage the upper side of the cross bar 50 machine taken` on line I4I4 of Fig. 1. I9. A cap 23 `fits over lthe inlet flange I1 and Fig. 151s aplan view oi the top plate of the closes the magazine inlet I4, said cap being casingv of the rna chine.`l i Y i locked in itsclosed position by a key-controlled Fig. 16 is aleft side elevation of the spout of lock A24|, which is connected at its lower end to the magazinel and theV parts mounted thereon. the cross bar I9,V and extends upwardly through 55 the top of the cap 23. On the rods 28 near the bottom of the magazine I3 is secured a guide 28 being secured on a 25 for preventing the merchandise from bridging or clogging the opening |I in the top wall 2 and for guiding the merchandise in the magazine,

such as peanuts 26 or the like through said opening as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The opening II in the top wall 2 of the casing I leads into the upper end of a discharge spout 21 depending from the lower side of said top wall, in the upper portion of which spout is mounted a rotatable measuring valve 28 in the form of a drum, with end walls 28, arcuate walls 38 and 3|, and an arcuate door 32, in which valve is located a measuringcompartment 33. 'I'he end walls 28 are connected to the ends oi the arcuate walls 30 and 3|, while the arcuate door 32 is hinged at its upper edge by a hinge 34, to the lower edge oi' the arcuate wall 38, and the lower edges 35 'and 36 of the arcuate wall 3| and door 32, respectively, meet when the valve 28 is in its normal receiving position as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. 'I'he upper portions 31 and 38 of the front wall and rear wall, respectively, of the spout 21 are arcuate, and within said upper wall portions are-turnably tted the arcuate valve wall 38, door 32 and the arcuate valve wall 3|, respectively, the valve shaft 38 which extends through and is Journaled in bearings 48 of the side walls 4I of the spout 21, whereby said valve is rotatably mounted in theupper portion of said spout. The upper ends of the arcuate valve walls 3|) and 3| are spaced apart to provide an entrance 42 into the valve measuring compartment 33, which entrance normally rests directly under the opening I in the top wall 2 of the casing I, in the receiving position of the valve 28 and its said measuring compartment, as shown in Fig. 7.

The measuring compartment 33 is formed in the valve 28 by walls 43 and 44, the wall 43 extending from the upper end of the arcuate wall 3| to the valve shaft 38, and the wall 44 extending from the upper pivoted end of the door .32 to said shaft. On one end of the valve shaft 38 is keyed a crank 45 which is held on said shaft by a nut 46 threaded on said end of said shaft. The valve 28 is positioned and detachably secured on said valve shaft 38 by a pair of cotter pins 41 (Fig. 8) which are driven through said shaftfand wedged against the inner sides of the valve end walls 28, respectively. The crank 45 is formed with a projecting arm 48 to which is connected the upper end of a spring 48, the lower end of said spring being connected to apin 58 on the lower portion of the spout 21, which spring normally holds the valve in the position shown in Fig. 7 with its measuring compartment 33 in position to receive its capacity of merchandise from the magazine I3.

A lock 5| is provided for locking the valve door 32 closed until the proper time to open said door, as will be hereinafter more fully described,which lock comprises a locking bar 52, a trigger 53 and a coin-actuated trip lever 54. The locking bar 52 is pivotally mounted within the spout 21 below the valve 28 and is curved to ilt the lower side of the arcuate wall 3| and door 32 of said valve, said locking bar being formed at its ends, respectively, with a pair of apertured ears 55 through which loosely extends a pivot rod 56 for said locking bar, which rod is secured at its ends in the lower portions 51 and 58 of the front and the rear walls, respectively, of the spout 21. On the inner side edge of the locking bar 52 is formed a depending arm 58 to which is pivoted, as at 68. the inner end vis connected the holds lthe coin-actuated of the trigger 53, and on the outer edge of said locking bar is formed a cam-engaging arm 6I which extends outwardly through an opening 4| in one side of the spout 21 under a cam 62 formed on the lower part of the'crank 45, the engagement of said arm and cam positively locking the locking bar 52 in its locking position, while the measuring valve 28 is in its normal Iposition for receiving merchandise from the magazine I3, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The trigger 53 is provided with notches 63 respectively receive the upper edge of the trip lever 54, for setting said trigger to be released for permitting the locking bar 52 to swing of its own Weight into unlocking position in the manner hereinafter more fully described. 'I'he trip lever 54 is fulcrumed at 65 to the outer side of a lower portion 66 of a side Wall 4| of the spout 21 and is engaged at its forward end by one arm of a coil spring 61, theother arm of which spring is connected to saic spout, as'at 68. Said lower side wall portion 66 is provided with an opening 68 through which extends the outer end portion of the trigger 53 for guiding said trigger, so that the upper edge of the trip lever 54 may engage one of the trigger notches 63 or 64. The rear end of the trip lever 54 extends upwardly and is bifurcated, as at 18, to receive a proper coin for depressing said end of said lever to disengage the upper edge of said lever from the trigger notch 63 or 64 to release the trigger 53 for unlocking the valve door lock 5I in themanner and for the purpose hereinafter more fully described.

On the upper side of the top wall 2 of the casing at the front and at the right of said casing is mounted a coin-receiving chute 1I provided with a coin slot 12 leading from its upper end in the front of the chute downwardly to a slot 12' in said top wall. On the rear of said chute, within said coin slot 12, is pivoted a coin-actuated lever 13, on a pivot 14, near the lower end of said chute. Said lever 13 is formed with a relatively long vertical lever4 member 13', a coin-engaging arm 15 extendand 64 near its outer end to ing forwardly from the upper end of said lever member, a cam 16 extending rearwardly from the lower end of said lever member, anda rear connecting arm 11 extending upwardly from the rear end of said cam. The forward end 18 of the coinengaging arm 15 rests in the upper end of the chute slot 12 at the upper edge thereof, and is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction to be engaged by the edge of a coin for directing the coin inwardly and downwardly through the coin chute slot 12 and the slot 12 in the top wall 2, when the coin is deposited in the upper and front end of the coin chute slot 12. The lower fixed edge 19 of the upper end of the coin chute slot 12 lies below and slightly forwardly of the inclined coin-engaging end 18 of the. coin-actuated lever 13. The rear arm 11 of the coin-actuated lever 13 is connected to the forward end of a link 88, which is connected at its rear end, to the upper end of a lever 8| pivoted at 82 in a bracket 83 depending from the lower side of the top wall 2 of the casing I. To the lower end of the lever 8| forword end of a link 84, in the rear end of which is secured a pin which projects into a concentric slot 86 in the valve crank 45. A spring 81 is connected at its forward end to the top wall 2, at 88, and at its rear end to the forward end of link 84, as at 88, which spring lever 13 in its normal coin-receiving position and the cam 16 and link 84 in their normal retracted positions, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, in which position of the link 34 the crank spring 49 holds the valve crank 45 in position with the rear end o! its slot 39 against the pin 95 in the rear end of said link, and thus holds the measuring valve 20 in its normal position, with its valve measuring compartment 33 in its uppermost position for receiving merchandise from the magazine I3.

Below the coin slot 12' and the coin chute 1|, a slug trap 90 is mounted on the under side of the top wall 2 of the casing which slug trap includes a fixed vertical guide wall 9|, a ilat spring 92, a pocket 93, a detent 94 and a magnet 95. The guide wall 9| and the flat spring 92 are secured at their upper. endsl to the under side of the top wall 2, at 90 and 91, respectively, with the inner sides of said guide wall and said at spring flush with the sides, respectively, of the coin slot 12' in said top wall. The pocket 93 is hinged at its upper end by hinges 99, to the guide wall 9|, so that the weight of said pocket holds* it in its normal coin-receiving position, with the inner edges of its vertical front wall 99 and bottom wall against the inner side of the guide wall 9|, and its outer side wall |0| spaced from the inner side of said guide wall, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the rear of said pocket being open to provide an opening |02 through which extends the cam 16 on the lower end of the member 14 of the coin-actuated lever 13, as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. The bottom wall |00 of the pocket 93 is inclined downwardly in a rearward direction, as shown in Fig. 5. The detent 94 is pivoted within the pocket 93 forwardly of the llat spring 92 on a pivot |03, which is secured at its front end in the front wall 99 of said pocket and at its rear end in a lug |04 on the inside of the side wall` |0| of said pocket, so that the inner edge of said detent faces the inner side ofthe guide wall 9|, while the outer edge of said detent extends through a vertical slot |05 in said side wall |0| of said pocket. Said detent is formed with a cam |05 along its inner edge, the lhighest point of which cam being at the lower end of said edge, while said detent is formed, at its upper end and at its inner edge,

with a prong |01, said cam `engaging the guide wall 9| and resting between said guide wall and the flat spring 92, which extends downwardly into said pocket, and said prong being withdrawn from between said guide wall and said at spring, when the pocket 93 is in its coin-receiving position, as shown in Fig. 4. The magnet 95 is secured within the pocket 93 adjacent the inner side of the outer wall |02 of said pocket by a screw |08, which extends through said wall.

From the opening |02, at the rear end and at the lower end of the slug-trap pocket 93, leads a balanced coin rock-chute ||0, inclined downwardly in a rearward direction. to the bifurcated rear end 10 of the trip lever 54, which chute is secured on a U-shaped rock frame comprising a pair of lever members ||2 and ||3 and a side member ||4 connecting the outer ends of said lever members, the inner ends of said lever members being connected to said chute ||0 near itsends respectively and at the upperedge thereof. The chute ||0 and its supporting frame |||A are pivotally mounted on the lower ends of a pair of suspension arms ||5 andv H6, depending from the top wall 2, by m'eans of a pair of pivot set screws ||1 and ||8 threaded in the lower ends of said suspension arms respectively, which screws are formed with conical precision end bearings I9 and |20, respectively, which are adjustably seated in bearing apertures |2| and |22, respectively, in the lever members ||2 and ||3 respectively of the chute rock frame The rock chute I0 is provided in its outer side wall with a discharge opening |23, which is controlled by a swinging gate |24 hingedat its lower and upper edges by a pair of hinges |25 to the outer wall of said chute, at the rear side of said discharge opening, so that said, gate may swing into said discharge opening to allow a proper coin to pass through the chute, as shown in Fig. 10, or swing across ,the chute at an angle forwardly from its hinges |25 to discharge a light slug through said discharge opening, as shown in Figs. 6 and 9. rIhe gate |24 is formed with an arm |26 extending rearwardly from its rear edge outside of the outside of thechute ||0 for engaging a fixed vertical arm |21 secured at |29 to the forward end of a coin delivery chute |29, for swinging -said gate into the chute discharge opening |23, when a proper coin enters the chute ||0 and swings said chute and its supporting frame on the pivot screws v||1 and ||0 against a weight |30 in the form of a set screw seated in the frame connecting member ||4, which weight normally holds said supporting frame and chute in such position that the gate |24 is swung across the chute forwardlly at an angle from its hinges |25, as shown in 4is formed with an arm 45' which engages the lever member ||3 of the chute frame and holds the chute ||0 in position with the coin gate |24 closed to discharge` a proper coin from said chute when the valve 29 closes prematurely and fails to discharge the merchandise.

The delivery chute |29 leads from the bifurcated end 10 of the trip lever 54 downwardly at an incline across the rear side of the spout 21, the chute being curved at its upper end at |30 to extend from the right side of said spout, where said trip lever lslocated to the rear of said spout. The bottom wall of the coin-delivery chute |29 is out away from the rear end of the chute for `a short distance to provide a discharge opening during which time the valve door 32 is allowedy to remain open long enough to dump completely the measured quantity of merchandise from the valve measuring chamber 33. Said locking means V|3| includes a locking lever |32, a trigger |33, a coin-actuated trigger trip lever |34, an auxiliary coin-actuatedtrip lever |35, and a triggersetting crank |36. The loclclng lever |32 extends horizontally across the rear of the spout 21 and is pivoted at |31 to the upper portion 38 of the rear wall of said spout, said locking lever being formed at one end with a latch |38 which extends through a slot |39 in saidupper portion 39 of the rear wall of the spout 21, for projecting into a notch |40 in the outer side of the arcuate wall 3| of the measuring valve 29, under the inuence of a springy |4| between said upper portion 3l of the rear wall of the spout 21 and a flange |42, on the inner edge of the locking lever |32, at the side of the pivot |31 of said lever opposite the side at which said latch |38 is located. The trigger |33 is pivoted at |43 to a vertical bracket |44, formed on the rear end of the coin delivery chute 29, and is connected at its upper end to one end of a spring |45 which is connected at its other end to an arm |46 depending from the top wall 2. The triggersetting crank |36 comprises 'a crank rod |36 bent at its ends in the form of a pair of crank arms |41 and |48, respectively,`said crank rod being journaled in bearings |49 and |50, on the rear of the spout 21 and in the bracket I 44, respectively. The crank arm |41 is connectedat |5| to the rear end of a link |52, which link is connected at its forward end to the pin 85 in the rear end of link 84. 'Ihe crank arm |48 is formed at its upper end with a horizontal flnger |53 for engaging the forward edge of the trigger 33 for setting said trigger in the manner'hereinafter more fully set forth. The coin-actuated trigger trip lever |34 is pivoted at |54 to the bracket |44 and is formed with a lug 55 to be engaged by the lower end of the trigger 33 to hold said trigger out of engagement with the locking lever |32, so that the spring |4| may hold said locking lever in position with its latch |38 engaging the notch |40 and locking the measuring valve 21 in its dumping position, while a proper coin travels past the forward end 18 of the coin-actuated lever 13 through the coin chute 1| slug trap 90, rock-chute ||0, and deliveryv chute |29, during which time the door 32 remains open long enough to dump completely a measured quantity of mer- Y chandise from the valve measuring compartment 33. A flat spring |56 is secured at one end at |51 to the bracket |44, and bears at its other end upon the upper edge of the weighted forward arm |58 of the coin-actuated trigger trip lever |34 for normally holding said lever in position with its rear arm and-lug |55 raised, and so that the lower end of the trigger |33 will engage the forward edge of said lug and hold said trigger out of engagement with the locking lever |32, to enable the spring |4| to swing said locking lever to cause its latch |38 to engage the notch |40 and lock the measuring valve 21 in its open position. On the rear end of the rear arm of the coin-actuated trigger trip lever |34 is formed a short depending trip-lever coin chute |59, the upper end of which rests below the rear end of the coin-delivery chute |29 in position to receive a coin as it drops through the discharge opening |29 from the rear end of `said coin-delivery chute, said trip lever chute being curved downwardly toward and to a point below the lower end of an auxiliary trip-lever coin. chute |60 depending from the pivoted end of the auxiliary coin-actuated trigger '.rip lever |35, in position also to receive said coin as it drops through the discharge opening |29' from the rear end of said coin into said trip-lever chute |59, said auxiliary coinactuated trigger trip lever |35 being pivoted at its forward end to the under side of said coindelivery chute |29 at |6|. The rear end |62 of the auxiliary coin-actuated trigger trip lever |35 extends through a slot |63 in a bracket |64 upstanding from the upper edge of the rear arm of the coin-actuated trigger trip lever |34, so that `should the coin passing through the trip lever chute |59 and bearing upon the curved transverse wall |59' of said chute fail to depress the rear arm of the trigger trip lever |34 suiiiciently to disengage the lug |55 from the lower end of the trigger |33, the coin, guided by the curvature of said transverse wall |59' into engagement with |44 'to be engaged |84 in the lower end delivery chute |29 the transverse vertical wall |66 of the auxiliary trip-lever coin chute |60, as the coin drops through said chute, will swing the auxiliary trigger trip lever |36 on its pivot |6| and cause the rear end of said trip lever |35 to engage the lower end of the slot |62 and depress the rear arm of the trigger trip lever |34 suillciently to disengage said lug |55 from. the lower end of said trigger |33. A stop arm |44' extends from the bracket by the lower edge of the trip lever |34 to limit the downward movement of the rear arm of said lever.

In the casing opposite the slug discharge opening |23 of the balanced coin chute ||0, is mounted la slug discharge chute |66, which leads downwardly to an opening |61 through the right side wall |68 of a pocket |69 formed in the front wall 4 of the casing said chute being formed with a flange |10 at its lower end which is bolted at |1| to said pocket side wall whereby said chute is mounted as aforesaid.

A merchandise delivery chute |12 is mounted in the casing and leads from the lower end of the merchandise spout 21 to the inner end of a merchandise delivery spout |13, which extends forwardly through an opening |14 in the rear Wall |15 of the pocket |69 into the lower part of said pocket, said spout being formed at its inner end with an external flange |16, which rests against the inner side of said pocket wall, and said chute |12 being formed at its forward end with an external flange 11, which rests against the rear side of said spout flange. The chute flange |11 is bolted to the spout flange |16, and said spout flange is bolted to the rear pocket wall |15 by bolts |18, whereby the chute |12 and the spout |13 are detachably mounted in position as aforesaid. The spout |13 is normally closed by a gate |19, which is detachably hinged at its upper end, at the upper end of the chute opening |15, by hinge pins formed thereon at the sides thereof, which pins rest in notches |8| in the upper end of the spout flange |16, so that the lower end of the gate |19 rests upon the lower end of the spout |13 to close said spout. 'I'he gate |19 is provided with slots .|82 through which the vended merchandise may be observed in said spout by the vendee.

'Ihe lower wall |83 of the casing is detachable and is locked in position against a ange of said casing, by a keycontrolled lock |85, which engages a bolt |86 extending through a bracket |81 secured to the inner side of the rear wall |15 of the pocket |69.

On the under side of the top wall 2, at the forward side of the opening in said wall, is mounted a slide plate |90 in guides 9| secured to the under side of said top wall, which plate is formed on its lower side with a depending apertured lug |92 through which extends a rod |93, secured at its forward end in a lug |94 depending from the under side of said top wall 2, which rod is surrounded by a coil spring.|95

respectively. Said spring usually projects said plate |90 inwardly towards the measuring valve 28, so that the inner edge of said plate rests inwardly of the opening and the measuring chamber 33. Said inner edge of the plate |90 forms a yielding forward edge of the opening so that if any of the merchandise, and particularly metal prizes, should be caught between said edge and the forward end of the arcuate wall 3| of the measuring.valve 28, when said valve is rotated to discharge the merchandise from bearing at its ends against the lugs |92 and |94 To purchaseV a measured `quantity of mer` chandise, such as peanuts, a purchaser inserts a proper coin,lior example, a penny, through the slot 12 in the upper forward end of the coin chute 1| and presses the coin inwardly into said chute between the lower fixed edge 19 of said chute and the inclined forward upper edge 18 of the coin-actuated lever 13, whereupon said lever is swung clockwise (Fig. 5) on its pivot l14 and the crank 45 and its arm 45 together with the valve shaft 39 are turned counter-clockwise against the tension of spring 49, through the medium of the cam 15, arm 11link 80, lever 8| and link 84, by the engagement of the link pin 85 with the rear end of the crank slot 85, so that the low part of the camV 52 is brought over the locking bar arm 5| while the trigger setting crank |35 is swung clockwise (Fig. 5) by the link |52 and crank arm |41, and the finger |53 of the crank arm |48 engages the forward edge of the upper arm of trigger |33 and swings said trigger counterclockwise (Fig. 16) until the lower end of said trigger escapes the lug |55 of trip lever |34 and engages the forward edge of said lug, the spring |55 yielding to allow said trip lever to be swung on its pivot |54 for the escapement of the lower end of said trigger over said lug. The forward movement of the cam 15, by the lever 13, when actuated by the coin as aforesaid, causes said cam to engage the rear edge of the side wall of the pocket 93 and swing said pocket open for the purpose hereinafter described. The setting of said trigger by the engagement of its lower end with lug |55 withdraws said trigger from the locking lever |32 and permits the spring |4| to swing the locking lever l |32 to project its latch |38 into thevalve notch .to lock said valve when rotated to bring said notch into register with said latch, in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. A measured quantity of merchandise having dropped from the magazine |3 through the outlet opening in wall 2 into the valve measuring chamber 33, turning of the valve shaft 39, as aforesaid, turns the measuring valve 28 counterclockwise (Fig. 14) until the door 32 of said valve measuring chamber reaches its lowermost or discharging position, in which position of the valve the notch |40 is brought opposite the latch |38 of locking lever |32, whereupon the spring |4| swings said locking lever on its pivot and projects said latch into'said notch and locks the valve 28 against turning in either "direction, thus locking the measuring valve 28 in position for discharging the measured quantity of merchandise from its measuring chamber 33.

` Turning of the crank 45 and its arm 45', as

aforesaid, removes said, arm from the member |3 of the coin chute frame I, so that a proper coin upon entering the rock chute ||0 will swing,

said chute into vertical position, as shown in Fig. 11, for the purpose hereinafter described. When the coin. deposited inthe upper end of the coin chute 1|, escapes the inclined forward edge 15 of the coin-actuated lever 13, it drops down through said chute through opening 12' in top wall 2, between wall 9| and dat spring 92 of slug trap 90, into said slug trap past the prong |01 of detent 94 and against the cam |05 on the lower end of said detent, whereupon the coin swings saiddetent counterclockwlse (Fig. 4),v

the detent prong |01 swinging over the upper edge of the coin,` and allows the coin to drop past said detent into the bottom of the slug trap pocket 93,` which has swung back' to its closed position, as shown in Fig. 4, after having.

been swung open, by the cam 15, when the coin was deposited in the coin chute and the coinactuated lever 13 was swung on its pivot as aforesaid, for the purpose hereinafter more fully described.` The coin, upon dropping into the bottom of the slug trap pocket 93, rolls rearwardly down the inclined bottom wall |00 of said pocket, out of saidwpocket, into the upper forward end of the balanced rock chute ||0, which is in the position shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, and the weight of said coin swings said chute and lts frame on the pivots ||1 and ||3 into the position shown in Fig. 11 and in Fig. 10, during which operation the lower rear end of said chute |I0 isrbrought into registration with the bifurcated rear end 10 of the coin-actuated trip lever 54, while the coin gate |24 is swung outwardly into the coin discharge opening |23 of said chute by the engagement of the gate arm |25 with the fixed arm |21 (see Fig. 10) providing a free passage in the chute past said gate, whereupon the coin rolls rearwardly down the chute ||0 out of its rear end into the bifurcated end 10 of the coin-actuated trip lever 54, and the balanced rock chute ||0 and frame |I| swing back to their normal position under the influence of weight |30, as illustrated on Fig. 9.. The weight of the coin in said bifurcated end 10 swings the coin-actuated trip lever 54 clockwise on its pivot 55 and disengages the upper edge of said lever from the notch 53 or 54 of the trigger 53, which trips said trigger and allows the locking bar 52 to swing down on its pivot 55 away from the door 32 of the measuring valve 28, the lower part of the cam 52 above the cam-engaging arm 5| allowing said arm to swing up also to allow said locking bar to swing down, whereupon said door 32 and the lower wall 44 of the measuring chamber 33 swing down von their hinge 34 and discharge the measured quantity of merchandise from said measuring chamber downwardly through the spout 21 and delivery chute |12 into the delivery spout |13, where the merchandise is arrested by the delivery gate |19, the arcuate door 32 swinging down into the lower part of the spout 21 against the lower arcuate portion 51 of the front wall of said spout. The discharged merchandise may be removed from the delivery spout |13 by the purchaser upon lifting thegate |19, on its hinges |80', by means of the handleV |19' on the forward end of said gate. The deposited coin, after swinging the trip lever 54 to trip', the trigger 53 to release the locking bar 52, rolls out of the bifurcated end 10 of said trip lever into the forward upper end of the coinof the spring of the casingl upon the bottom wall |83 of said casing and is thus collected, and as the coin drops through said chutes |59 and |60 it bears at its edge with its weight first upon the transverse wall |59 of the trip-lever chute |59, and generally this action of the coin depresses the rear end of the trigger trip lever |34 and raises the forward weighted end |58 of said lever against the tension of spring |56 and disengages the lug |55 of said lever from the lower end of the trigger |33 and trips said trigger, whereupon the spring |46 swings said trigger clockwise (Fig. 16)l and the forward edge of said trigger, above its pivot |43, engages the rear edge at the adjacent end of locking lever |32 and swings said locking lever on its pivot |31 against the tension |36 from the valve notch |40, and the valve 23 is turned clockwise crank spring 49, arm 48, crank 45 and valve shaft 39 back to its initial receiving position, as shown in Fig. 7, during which operation the valve door 32 engages the lower end of the upper arcuate portion 31 of the front wall of the spout 21, and said door andlower wall 44 of measuring chamber 33 are swung back to their normal position with said wall, closing the lower end of said measuring chamber, while the high part of cam 62 is brought against the arm 6|, swinging the locking bar 52 back into locking position against the door 32. Should the coin, as it drops through the trip-lever chute |59, as aforesaid, fail to depress the rear end of the trigger trip lever |34 and trip the trigger |33, the rear end of said trip lever will nevertheless be depressed and the trigger tripped, by the engagement of the rear end |62 of the auxiliary trip lever |35, with the lower edge of the slot |63, in the rear end of said trigger trip lever |34, under the iniiuence of the weight and rolli'ng inertia of the coin, the edge of which bears against the transverse wall measuring (Fig. 7) by the |65 of the auxiliary' trip-lever chute |60 and swings said auxiliary trip lever |35 counterclockwise as the coin drops through the lower ends of said trip-lever chute |59 and auxiliary trip-lever chute |60 into the bottom of the casing and is thus collected. When the coin has performed vits function in operating the machine and has been collected, as aforesaid, the machine Tis ready to receive another coin and to vend another measured quantity of merchandise as above described.

Should a slug of lighter weight than the weight of the proper coin be deposited in the coin-receiving chute 1|, it will drop through said chute and the slug trap and roll into the balanced chute ||0 in the same manner as a proper coin, but its weightwill not be suflicient to swing said chute ||0 and its frame on the pivots ||1 and ||6, and the gate |24 will remain in its closed position across the chute IIO, so that said light slug, in rolling down said chute, will be deflected by said gate and ejected through the discharge opening |23 in the outer side of said chute, into the slug-discharge chute |66, down which chute said light slug will slide and pass out of the lower end thereof through the opening |61 into the bottom of the pocket |69, in the front of the machine, where it will be exposed to view and aid in the detection of the depositor of said slug.

Should a washer, or slug with a hole in it, be deposited in the coin chute 1 I, it will drop through said chute between the slug-trap wall |4| `and withdraws the lever latch through the medium of crank of said succeeding coin or vslug is deposited in the coin-receiving chute 1|,

and the pocket 93 oi' said trap is swung open at ,its lower end, on its hinges 98, by the engagement of the cam 16 with the rear end of the outer side wall |0| of said pocket, when the coinactuated lever 13 is swung clockwise by the engagement of said succeeding coin or slug with the inclined upper forward edge 16 of said coinactuated lever, whereupon the detent prong |01 will be withdrawn from the hole in the slug, as said pocket is swung ope ,and the released slug will drop down between the trap wall 9| and fiat spring 92, out of the lower open end of the slug trap 90, into the slug-discharge chute |66 and down said chute through the outlet opening |61, into the bottom of the front pocket |69 of the casing Should an iron slug be deposited in the coin- /receiving chute 1.|, it will be arrested and held by the force of the magnet in the slug trap 90, between the trap wall 9| and fiat spring 92, until a succeeding coin or slug is deposited in the coin-receiving chute 1| and the trap pocket 93 is swung outwardly on its hinges 98, by the engagement of the cam 16 with the rear edge of the pocket side wall |0|, as the coin-actuated lever 13 is swung on its pivot by the engagement slug with the inclined forward edge 16 of said coin-actuated lever, during which outward swinging operation of said pocket and the magnet, away from the slug, the force of the magnet will be reduced sumciently to release the iron slug, so that said slug will drop from between the lower end of the fiat spring 92 and the trap wall 9| out of the lower end of the slug trap 90, into and down the slug discharge chute |66 and out through the outlet opening |61, into the bottom of the front pocket |69 of the casing I.

Should the measuring valve 28, upon deposit of a proper coin in the coin-receiving chute 1|, be swung prematurely, by spring 49, back to its normal merchandise-receiving position, without discharging its measured quantity o1 merchandise, the crank 45, swinging back with said valve, will swing the lower end of its arm 45 against the outer portion of the upper edge of the lever member ||3 of the balanced chute frame and swing the balanced chute ||0 back to its normalcoin-receiving position (Fig. 9) and prevent tl'ie coin gate |24 from being swung out of its closed position in the chute, before the coin rolls down said chute to said gate, so that said proper coin when it reaches said gate will be deflected by said gate out of said chute through the discharge opening |23, into the slug discharge chute |66, down which said coin will slide and will pass out through the opening |61 into the bottom of the front pocket |69 of the casing, where the depositor of said coin may recover the same. thus returning a proper coin to its deposito-r, when the machine fails to function.

I do not limit my invention to the exact construction herein shown, since various changes therein may be made within the scope of the invention.

claim:

1. A vending machine comprising a magazine for merchandise, a valve for receiving and measuring a quantity of merchandise from said magazine and for discharging said measured quantity of merchandise, coin-actuated means for moving said valve from its receiving and measuring position to its discharging position, means for automatically locking said valve when moved into its discharging position, means for automatically locking said valve closed when moved into its position, coin-actuated means for automatically releasing said last locklng means to allow said valve to open, while locked in its discharging position, to discharge' a measured quantity o! merchandise, and coinactuated means for automatically releasing said means for locking said valve in its discharging position, when a measured 'quantity of merchandise is discharged by said open valve, and means for automatically returning said valve to its receiving and measuring position when said valve is unlocked from its discharging position.

2. A vending machine comprising a maga-- zine for merchandise provided with an outlet in its lower end, a plate upon which the lower end of said magazine rests, said plate being provided with an outlet opening which registers with said magazine outlet, a measuring valve mounted below said outlet opening in said plate, said measuring valve being formed with a measuring cornpartment provided with an inlet opening which registers with said outlet opening in said plate,

when said valve is in measuring position, a slide plate mounted on the under side of said plate,

spring means for projecting the inner edge oi said slide plate inwardly of one edge of said ne outlet opening in said plate and over one edge of the inlet opening in the measuring compartment, when said valve is in its measuring position, and said spring means yielding to permit said slide plate to slide outwardly from said edge of said outlet opening in said plate, when merchandise is caught between the inner edge o( said slide plate and the opposite edge oi' said `inlet opening of said measuring compartment,

so that said caught merchandise will be caused by the opposite edge of said inlet opening, as it approaches the inner edge of said slide plate, to release said caught merchandise into said meas- ,uring compartment when said valve is rotated into discharging position, coin-actuated means for rotating said valve into discharging position, coin-actuated means for automatically enabling said valve to discharge its measured quantity of merchandise when the valve is rotated to its discharging position, and means for automatically returning said valve to its measuring position, when it has discharged its measured quantity of merchandise.

3. In a vending machine, a rotary valve for receiving and discharging merchandise, coinactuated means Vfor rotating said valve into dis-1` charging position, a spring-pressed locking lever formed with a latch vfor engaging a notch in said valve for locking said valve when rotated into its discharging position, a trigger, a trigger spring for swinging said trigger against said locking lever for normally holding said locking lever in position with its latch withdrawn from said notch in said valve and unlocking said valve, a trigger trip lever, a trigger-setting crank.

means whereby said trigger-setting crank is` swung, by said coin-actuated means,- for engaging and swinging said trigger to engage said trigger trip lever for setting said trigger, and for disengaging said trigger from said valve locking y lever, so that said lever will be swung by its spring toproject its latch into said valve notch to lock said valve in its discharging position, and

from the delivery end oi said 'delivery chute and' swings said auxiliary trigger lever against said trigger trip lever to insure sufficient, swinging movement of said trigger trip lever totrip said trigger.

5. A vending machine including a magazine for merchandise, means-for receiving and measuring `a quantity of the merchandise from said magazine and for discharging said measured quantity of merchandise, coin-factuated means for exclusively operating said receiving, measuring andl discharging means for discharging said measured quantity of merchandise, means for returning a proper coin deposited in said coinactuated means when said receiving, measuring and discharging means fails toy discharge said measured quantity of merchandise, and means carried by said receiving, measuring and discharging means for actuating said coin-returning means as aforesaid.

6. A vending machine including a magazine for merchandise, a measuring valve for receiving and .measuring a quantity of merchandise and for discharging said measured quantity of .merchandise and coin-actuated means for exclusively operating said valve for discharging said measured quantity of merchandise, means for locking said valve in position for discharging said measured quantity of merchandise,

means for returning a proper coin deposited in said coin-actuated means, when said means fails to return said valve sufllciently to be locked by said locking means in its discharging position, and means carried by said measuring valve for actuating said coin-returning means as aforesaid.

GEORGE L. DUVALL. 

